Learn More About Silica Exposure in the Workplace!

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Approximately 2.3 million people in the U.S. are exposed to silica at work. Materials like sand, stone, concrete and mortar contain crystalline silica. It's also used to make products such as glass, ceramics, bricks and artificial stone.

Respirable crystalline silica – very small particles at least 100 times smaller than ordinary sand you might find on beaches and playgrounds – is created when cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling and crushing stone, rock, concrete and brick. Workers who inhale these crystalline silica particles are at increased risk of developing serious silica-related diseases, including silicosis (an incurable lung disease), lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and kidney disease. To help mitigate this, OSHA requires employers to use engineering controls, such as ventilation and wet methods when cutting and sawing crystalline silica-containing materials.